Wittelsbach Class Battleship

Wittelsbach Class. Visually similar to the preceding Kaiser Friedrich III Class they can be distinguished by
the flush main deck as opposed to the lower quarterdeck of the previous class. They retained the weak main
armament at a time when more powerful guns were standard in foreign equivalents.

Comments:
Generally similar to their immediate predecessors but with a more extensive belt. These ships were the first
battleships produced under the Navy Law of 1898 brought about by Admiral Tirpitz. Crew 683.

World War 1 Service:Wittelsbach
IV Battle Squadron in the Baltic Sea.
26-31 August1914 attempt to help the beached cruiser SMS Magdeburg .
May 1915 support of the German army in the Baltic Sea.
11 July 1915 ran aground, but no damage.
August 1916 decommissioned.
1921 sold and scrapped.

Wettin
IV Battle Squadron in the Baltic Sea.
November 1915 into reserve.
August 1917 barrack ship at Kiel.
1921 sold for scrap.

SMS Mecklenburg. The class, as with the earlier German Battleships were too weak, slow and vulnerable to play
much of a role in the war. After initially being used in a combat capacity they were used in various other
roles such as depot, training or prisoner of war ships.